


The Sight of Stars

by alafaye



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Advent, Gen, Stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-24
Updated: 2011-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-28 00:37:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/301814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A misadventure uncovers a misdeed and hurts for the Doctor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sight of Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day twenty four of the advent challenge at the livejournal community of the same name; prompt "stars", specifically "For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of stars makes me dream Quote from Vincent van Gogh.

Traveling with the Doctor made it difficult to know when Christmas was. Or any holiday for that matter. Jack only knew his birthday because the Tardis helpfully kept track. (Mostly because if it was his birthday, the Doctor would leave them in the vortex so they could celebrate it.) Still, he thought that Tardis was rather clever as according to his journal (a habit he had picked up in the Agency--a helpful trick to keep track of personal time when one never had a straight timeline) when they landed somewhere celebrating the holiday, it was about a year since they had.

He ran a hand along her wall. "Clever girl." Lights flashed at him and he smiled. He entered the main control room and laughed--the Doctor was dancing around, laughing himself. "So where are we?"

"Oh, you're going to love this," the Doctor said. "Lovely place--in the Betleguese system. Humans colonized it and it flourished and, oh, wait until you see what they do for Christmas!"

Jack jumped in to help land the Tardis and then they were there, on foreign soil in a sea of lights. "Stars?"

"They use some kind of geothermal energy to create these," the Doctor said, looking around with childish wonder. "Every year--thousands of stars set out to light up their lives."

It was beautiful. Everywhere Jack looked, there were stars. The inhabitants of the planet shared greetings and they walked along the street, admiring the scene. There was still the odd tree or two, but they seemed content with the light. They eventually came to a theatre, advertising a science film. "Oh, here we are. How they create the stars." The Doctor grabbed Jack's hand and bought them two tickets. "I've always wanted to know."

Jack, for his part, couldn't help being enthusiastic along with him. There were only two others in the seats, but at least there would be less interruptions. The documentary opened with a commentary--a vague description and history of why the settlers used stars to celebrate the holiday--before moving on to the planet's unique ecosystem and how it helped them create the stars. Jack felt an uneasy feeling start in his stomach and he shared a look with the Doctor.

"I think it's time we went to the lab that creates these, don't you?" the Doctor said, face dark.

Jack nodded.

~~~

There was only one lab that produced the stars and they found it quickly enough. A quick setting on the Doctor's sonic and they were in. Inside, there more of the stars, lazily flying about unlike the still ones outside. Jack reached out for one and it landed in his hand. It seemed to giggle and flirt. The Doctor scoffed. "Just saying hi?"

Jack shrugged. "What can I say? They like me." He smiled and watched the star fly away, brushing the top of the Doctor's head before moving on.

They eventually found the room where a lone scientist was at work. He had one of the stars on a tray next to some rather odd looking materials, man made. "So," the Doctor said, startling the scientist. The star flew away, faster than her sisters. "What do we do in here?"

The scientist cleared his throat. "I must ask you to leave. All unauthorized personal will be arrested if they persist."

The Doctor ignored him and held out a hand. The star that was flying fast landed there and seemed to hold a conversation with him. "Oh, is that so?" He turned his eyes toward the scientist. "Living creatures that you keep penned up until the holidays? Really?"

The scientist seemed to realized that he was dealing with someone with authority, but straightened his back. "We've been doing this for hundreds of years. They've lived for those hundreds of years. The people want stars for their holidays and we developed a method for delivering that."

"By drugging innocent creatures?" the Doctor asked. He cocked his head, likely listening to the star again, and he walked over to a consol. The scientist made to follow, to stop the Doctor, but Jack pulled his gun. "Oh, no. I don't think so. Stay right there."

The scientist gulped and held up his hands. The Doctor began running some program on the consol and muttering to himself. He typed something really fast on in and then stood back. "Right then, we're going, Jack."

Jack raised his eyebrows, but with a final glare at the scientist, lowered his gun and followed the Doctor out. He heard the scientist running--toward the consol likely--who yelled, "What did you do? You didn't set them free--what did you do?"

"This does seem rather quiet for you," Jack said.

Outside, the stars were roaming slowly and quietly. Above them, they could see the heavens, the suns there glowing brightly. "I couldn't do a lot, Jack. There was no way to get the drugs out of the stars--rather difficult that--and they order the drug from off the planet. Nothing produced here. No, quietly was the only option."

Doors began opening and people began streaming out, all of them reaching for the stars. "I sent a message--from the good scientist--that told them what was really going on. And I sent some out beyond this planet to those who might be able to stop this."

Jack smiled. "Sometimes, quiet is good."

The Doctor took Jack's hand in his. "Sometimes."

~~~

"All right, girl, this should do it," Jack said, expertly steering the Tardis. Lights flashed around him. "Yeah, I know. But after that planet, he needs something." The lights dimmed, as though in agreement. He smiled and ran a hand down an empty space on the consol.

"Jack, what are you doing?"

He turned and smiled innocently at the Doctor. "Just...finding us another planet."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes and joined Jack at the consol. He read the screen and frowned. "Earth?"

"Just you wait," Jack said with a wink. The engines whined. Jack put on a jacket and grabbed the Doctor's hand. Outside, it was snowing and off in the distance, they could hear carolers. Above, there was a midnight blue blanket dotted with stars. Jack smiled.

The Doctor was looking up. "Stars."

"Yeah, not the ones you were raving about, but stars," Jack said.

"Do you know, my cradle had stars on it," the Doctor said. "They've been a part of my life for so long."

Jack nodded, knowing the feeling. He leaned against the Tardis' doors. The Doctor continued to watch the stars. "For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream." He smiled at Jack. "Van Gogh. Brilliant man. Thank you, Jack."

Jack wrapped an arm around the Doctor's shoulders and leaned his head on the Doctor's shoulder. Together, they gazed up at the sky.


End file.
